Reapers
by umbreonblue
Summary: L'Arc collects many souls. It's his job...but he's interested in one particular soul.


A lone figure wearing a black and red cloak, brandishing a scythe that cut the memory reel of someone who just died, collecting a little yellow sphere.

According to the reel, this guy, Itsuki was wearing a school uniform, on his way to cram school and thinking about just running away when a truck hit him. Probably a hit-and-run.

That figure quickly jumped onto the roof of a house, putting the little sphere, that person's soul, into a bag. As the wind blew, the figure's hood flew off, revealing his youthful face with red hair and equally red eyes.

Sighing, he quietly goes to the next person on his list today. No one notices his presence as he disappears.

The next person on his list just died a few minutes ago. Police were present, taking the local serial killer away as someone cries over the body of the friend who saved them. This guy, Ren was stabbed and bled to death holding down the criminal. It was admittedly a foolish but heroic death.

The redhead's scythe came down to claim the dead person's soul, a little blue sphere went into his bag before he got out of there. Even now, no one noticed him…disappearing like a ghost.

The next lost soul on his list was a womanizer along with two girls. His red soul and the girls' pink souls were collected without exception.

According to the reel, the guy, Motoyasu was stabbed to death by them while the two girls committed suicide in an attempt to follow him into the afterlife. It was later ruled a murder-double-suicide by the police.

The last one on his list is…Naofumi.

* * *

When he visits the Iwatani household, Naofumi's still alive…but not for much longer.

Strangely interested in him, L'Arc returns the next day with a black book from the library. This book records all of a person's history in real-time…so L'Arc took a peek, skimming it mostly.

Glancing up occasionally to watch over Naofumi from a distance, he reads that Naofumi works long hours, doing anything he can to get out of the house and away from his parents' cold gazes for being a failure. Being compared to his younger brother doesn't help either.

After closing the book and putting it in his cloak, L'Arc couldn't help himself from following Naofumi to a bench, and talking to him…even though he knows it won't change anything.

L'Arc changed his appearance from being in a cloak to dressing in a suit. He sits down next to him.

"Hi."

"Hi," Naofumi shyly smiles.

L'Arc's heart beats loudly in his ears.

After that brief exchange, L'Arc just observes Naofumi, sees the bags under his eyes, and after Naofumi gets up, he smiles, "Bye." L'Arc waves, "Bye."

Sighing, L'Arc tries to get his emotions under control.

Naofumi is like an angel...but he's tired. So tired...but he keeps going. A workaholic plus his sensitivity to people, low self-esteem, and lack of self-care is a very bad mix.

As the clock ticks by, L'Arc could only watch as Naofumi's time runs out.

* * *

One day, on his final day alive, Naofumi just can't take it anymore. He gets the pills he's had stashed away a few years ago. Emptying out the pill bottle, he swallows them all with a bottle of water before laying in bed. Closing his eyes, a few tears flow out as he lets death take him away. He never woke up again, dying with a smile on his face.

Upon his little brother waking up and finding him, he checked his pulse and saw the empty pill bottle. Eyes widening, he calls 119.

He then sees a note: **I'm sorry for leaving you alone, little brother. But this family...doesn't need me. Please, take care of yourself...for my sake. - Nao**

He cries his eyes out, blaming his parents and himself for his big brother's death. It takes him a while to settle down and move on.

L'Arc smiles, anticipating a new recruit and partner to be born. Reapers, after all, are born from those who commit suicide. He collects Naofumi's soul. It's a beautiful green.

* * *

Later...

A new guy comes into the office with no memory of who he was beforehand. Just a name. Naofumi.

After going through training, he's assigned a partner and a weapon. For some reason, the shield, an experimental weapon, resonated with him, so he got stuck with it. Naofumi's assigned partner is L'Arc, who volunteered to look after him.

Naofumi frowns in worry, "Sorry... I don't know what a shield could possibly do to collect souls but…"

L'Arc smiles, "It's OK Kiddo. We don't exactly know what the shield's capable of yet...so I'll be your partner until you can handle it yourself. But for now... Let's do our best, partner."

Naofumi nods and smiles, "OK... Partner."

* * *

Naofumi does visit the library often. Reading the histories of the dead is like reading novels for him. He enjoys it and makes friends with the librarian, eventually getting a job there since he's not much help with fieldwork. But L'Arc does still drag him out to do fieldwork now and again, especially since the shield's an effective defense against demons, those who eat human souls.

* * *

Omake:

L'Arc asks a weird question, "Do you remember your death?"

Naofumi shakes his head.

L'Arc sighs, knowing this would happen, "What do you think about hangings or pill overdose then?"

Naofumi thinks about his answer, "Hm~... It's fine. There's no mess to clean up at least...but I'd never do it. I don't want my body to scare other people...even if it would be funny."

L'Arc smiles, but carefully not getting his hopes up, knowing that it's for the best his partner doesn't know how he died, "So you would take the pills?"

He nods, "Yeah. Just drifting off to sleep, never to be woken again... it's a relatively peaceful death."

L'Arc nods, "I see…"

"What about you though?"

L'Arc smiles as he answers, "Me? Well~ I would die dramatically. By shooting myself in the head. Sure it's messy, but at least I have a few minutes of freedom before dying."

Naofumi comments, smiling, "That...would suit you, wouldn't it…"

Then L'Arc changes the topic to girls, which Naofumi isn't interested in in the least.


End file.
